Menu

Be Mal-AWARE

Is your system infected with Malware? Here are the red flags you should be aware of so you can be Mal-AWARE!

If your computer is infected with a Virus / Malware, frustration and stress levels go through the roof.

As we all become more and more dependent on computers for our daily lives, everything from passing a few moments playing Bejeweled or World Of Warcraft, or actually important things like online banking, finishing your report, emails, and reports, etc., we need our computers to work properly.
The following are top warning signals your system may be infected with Malware, and what you can do to get yourself back online.

* Security warnings and windows popping up with really scary alerts. Have you ever seen a security alert telling you your system has multiple security issues, and a button to click to fix the problem now? DON’T DO IT! This message is in and of itself malware, and true, if you see something like this, your system is infected, but don’t click anything the alert is telling you to. The fake threats are exactly that.

* Browser is being redirected. When you go to Google.com or some other site, you suddenly find yourself at a different site you never saw before, you have a serious issue. Malware has hijacked your browser, and can be a very serious issue.

* Social Media Mayhem. Have you seen your Facebook wall lately? Are your friends asking you about “that post”, and you never wrote it? Many forms of Malware will post things using your account, usually something quite inflamatory to get others to click on the link, which then spreads the malware around.

*RANSOMWARE Among the most insidious malware infestations is ransomware, which will actually lock your computer down, holding it hostage. The only way to recover use of your computer is to pay a “ransom”. Some have even gone as far as to display fake FBI screens on your system, pretending to be the government locking your system down.

If any of these scenarios seem familiar, you need to take immediate action.

Remember, all computer viruses are Malware, but not all Malware are viruses, so sometimes you may not know which you are dealing with. If you haven’t already done so, install a good antivirus or security suite and make sure it is up to date. IF you have one already, then you have a particularly nasty bug that slipped through your defenses.

I have created a free website ( VirtualThreatLevel.com ) to help explain potential threats, how to protect yourself, and what to do if you are attacked. Information will be regularly updated and expanded as necessary.